The Sprout
Sunny Sunday afternoon at the Pavilion’s pop-up Café
The newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley
Issue 118 June 2017
The Sprout
Issue 118, June 2017
Contents
3 Letters to the Editor
5 Botley Patients Group
9 Thoughts on General Election
15 Guiding Round-up
19 First Botley Brownies
21 Second Botley Brownies
23 Recipe for June
25 Old Manor House Riding School
20 Flood Alleviation Scheme
31 Planning Applications
33 Police update
35 North Hinksey Allotments
37 Randoms
39 Local Organizations
From the Editor
The main event of interest to us all in June is the General Election on the
8th, and the Sprout is sponsoring a Q&A session with our main candidates
on 1st June in Ss P&P Church. It’s a bit early in the month for us, but was
the only possible date and time in our candidates’ busy schedules. We
have done our best to get the issue out slightly early so you have time to
see the notice, but if this has not trickled down to you, hopefully you will
have seen the posters in time to get your questions in. Martin Harris offers
some thoughts on the subject (p9). Other news is the potential closure of
the Old Manor Riding Stables, already struggling with the huge increase of
traffic in North Hinksey Lane and finally brought down as a consequence
of the Flood Alleviation Scheme which will affect local pasture. Our cover
photo shows the first pop-up café of the season. These will run ‘up the top
every Sunday till August, and the one on 25th June will coincide with the
Sprout AGM, at the Pavilion at 3pm your chance to come along and have
an input into our local magazine, while eating some of the delicious cakes!
We also have reports on Girlguiding (inc Brownies) from p.15 onwards, the
Botley Surgery Patients Group (plus details about what’s on offer for
under-fives at Botley Bridges) on p.5, and some Parish Council input on
the subject of Allotments (p35), not to mention a timely recipe for pickling
cauliflowers. It’s all here in the Sprout happy reading!
Ag MacKeith
Letters to the Editor
Botley Health Walks
Both of us trained as Volunteer Health Walk Leaders and started Botley
Health Walks on the 9 September 2004, under the then Government’s
banner of “Look after your Heart”. These days it falls under the “Go
Active” remit. We still meet at Seacourt Hall every Wednesday at 9.30
am, wait no more than 5 minutes and then go for a walk, usually with
animated chatter so it does not seem like exercising at all. Also, since
the Sprout began our details have been published each month in the list
of Organizations. Not surprising though, as with four others we were co-
founders of the Sprout and key workers for many years.
So you can image our surprise to read the Note on Botley Health Walks
by Lyliane Doumechehall about the need for a pool of trained walk
leaders and offering training at Dean Court Community Centre on the 28
May. It was news to us as leaders of Botley Health Walks!
Lyliane probably has good intentions but she is not part of Botley Health
Walks and she did not discuss the contents of her article with us prior to
publication. So what is it all about a takeover bid?
Roy & Briony Newport, Leaders, Botley Health Walks
[Lyliane has since realized her mistake, see page 7 Ed.]
SPROUT AGM 2017
Sunday 25th June
34pm
The Pavilion, Louie Memorial Fields
Arnold’s Way
Everybody welcome, especially Sprout volunteers.
Please come and tell us how we are doing.
News from the Botley Patients Group
The merger of the Botley and Kennington practices continues to go
broadly to plan. At the meeting of Botley PPG on 3 May 2017 Caroline
Jones, Practice Manager, asked that her thanks to her deputy, Hazel
Quick, be put on the record for the amazing job that she did in merging
the IT systems of the two practices in April.
The Duty Doctor system is not entirely satisfactory. Occasionally patients
are having to travel from Botley to Kennington, or vice versa, to be seen.
Various options are being tried to make duty run smoothly. There are
currently two phone numbers, one for each surgery; these will be merged.
Section 106 money: The Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) recently
submitted a bid, on behalf of the practice, to the Vale for Section 106
monies which have accumulated as a result of local developments and
which had been allocated for improved health provision. The practice
heard in early May that it has been awarded in the region of £90k, which
will kick-start improvements to the surgery. This is excellent news for the
practice, which is to be congratulated. I shall be reporting further on this
in future newsletters. You can email PPG on botleyppg@gmail.com
Harry Dickinson, Chair
Botley Bridges – a wonderful resource for new parents
I remember staggering into the Children's Centre for the first time when I
was eight and a half months pregnant, and collapsing onto one of their
sofas. My midwife had recommended the Bumps & Babies group as a
way of meeting other soon-to-be and recent mums for moral support and
friendship.
Initially I was pretty apprehensive about going along but one of the staff
bounded over to me, introduced herself in a cheery fashion and
immediately insisted on making me a cup of tea. It was wonderful! I
continued to go to the baby group until my baby arrived and then
afterwards until my baby was officially designated a toddler.
As well as meeting other mums I also went there for all my postnatal
appointments with the midwife and after that regularly to see the health
visitor as, and when, weigh-ins were required and for any other non-
medical queries. The early days of parenthood were quite overwhelming
and so having a place like the Children's Centre proved vital support. As
my son got older we moved on to Stay and Play sessions instead, which
was great preparation for preschool. Over the years I have also attended
weaning advice sessions, first aid courses and a parenting course, all of
which have proven invaluable in the journey of parenthood.
Unfortunately council funding was withdrawn from this wonderful
resource, potentially leaving a lot of new parents in limbo, but a charity
was established which took over in March of this year called Botley
Bridges which aims to continue as much of this fantastic work as
possible.
A group for toddlers called Movers, Shakers and Talkers started at the
end of April, and is running on Monday afternoons. Stay, Play and Learn
sessions take place on a Friday morning, and a Bumps & Babies group
runs in the afternoon. The health visitor is also available for a drop in
session at 1pm on Wednesdays and Saturdads, a sessions for dads/male
carers is being held on the first Saturday of every month.
All the groups have information about other services which people can
access for help like Domestic Abuse support, Talking Space and Mind
etc. Support and friendship from other new parents is also invaluable. It's
great to have an environment that is set apart from the more clinical
nature of a doctor’s surgery where you can receive fantastic support and
advice, and ask those little questions which do not require a visit to the
doctor. I cannot stress enough what a wonderful resource this is. Please
do continue to use it and to support its excellent work in any way you can.
Botley bridges has a Facebook page, or you can find further information
on: http://www.botleybridges.org/
Karen Nixon
This article represents the views of the Botley PPG which are not
necessarily those of the Medical Practice.
An apology
The name of "Botley Health Walks" was wrongly used in May’s Sprout to
describe the future walks to be organised by the Botley PPG, as there is
already a "Botley Health Walks" in our community, which takes place on
Wednesday mornings. We apologise for this oversight. A different name
for the future PPG walks will be decided at a later date.
Lyliane Doumèche
Hooray for another general election!
Sometimes I think it’s such a joy to be in a political constituency called
Oxford Gone West and Abingdon, although I may have misheard the
name from someone.
Like one of those great boxing bouts, we’ve got a re-match between the
blues and the yellows Nicola Blackwood in one corner for the
Conservative Party (the reigning champion) and Layla Moran for the
Liberal Democrats in the other. Some others are also entering the ring
(Marie Tidball for Labour) although this time Larry Sanders, the brother
of American political heavy weight Bernie, won’t be there for the Greens.
You may think that this parish is a bit Liberal-Democratty as we’ve had
Janet Godden as our County Councillor for many years, now followed by
Judy Roberts. Or it might be personality over politics as they have both
been well known, well respected hard working individuals. However at
the last general election, the Conservatives increased their majority quite
considerably. Will this change if our voting decision is based on Brexit or
if we feel that Labour needs a new leader?
If I was the 1997 Tony Blair transported into 2017, I’d say the important
issue is “Transport, Transport,
Transport.” West Way cannot seem
to cope, especially at weekends,
and even during the week it holds
back traffic wanting to turn onto the
ring road. Whatever the reason for
the recent cyclist tragedy, safety on
roads and pavements needs to be
improved. Who will do something
about the polluting A34? How much
are our lives at risk from this?
Once again the NHS becomes a
political football. Here’s hoping all
parties can work together on this. I
doubt if any political party will ever
bother to control house price
inflation which has made owning a
home more and more unaffordable
to the younger generation.
Whatever your view, whether you vote tactically or just for your favourite
colour, I hope that you do vote. Democracy is something to be treasured.
And whoever wins, whilst they might not be a famous war hero and
Colditz escapee like Airey Neave (our MP 19531979), I hope they play
their part both locally and in the House of Commons in uniting our great
country and great people.
Martin Harris (a “strong and stable” local, one of the “many not the few”)
[To help you make up your mind by giving you a chance to ask
some pertinent questions of the candidates, the Sprout is joining
Ss P&P Church in sponsoring a hustings here in Botley.
Candidates will be at the church on West Way on 1st June at 6pm
for a Q&A session chaired by Rev Graham Sykes. Submit your
questions in advance on the form which you can pick up in the
Library or download from botleyhinksey.org.uk, the community
website. Make sure your question is back in the library or submitted
online by 29th May at the latest to allow time to organize. See you
there! Ed.]
NORTH HINKSEY PARISH COUNCIL IS SEEKING A
Part-Time Caretaker for Louie Memorial Pavilion, Arnolds Way
The current post holder will be retiring on the appointment of a new part-time
caretaker and the Parish Council is now looking to appoint his replacement.
The new appointee will be an employee of the Parish Council and will be
subject to any deductions that the HM Revenue and Customs require to be
made. The gross salary for the post will be £245 a month. The average monthly
hours of work over the year are 24 and this is what you will receive payment
on per month. Because the number of hours will fluctuate between summer
and winter, your monthly payment is based on average hours. The pavilion is
run by a management committee and the caretakers work will involve liaising
and working with them.
The main duties of the post include:
Line marking of the football pitch (on average twice a month during the
football season).
Visiting the Pavilion three times a week to check the building and
undertake any minor maintenance work, safety checks etc.
Liaising with the Parish Clerk to arrange any statutory building checks e.g.
fire extinguishers, electrical certificates.
Maintaining the main hall, kitchen, changing rooms and showers.
Cleaning the MUGA and Childrens Shelter area to remove litter etc. and
the general maintenance of the Trim Trail equipment.
Strimming various areas.
Litter Picking in the Lower playing field, childrens play area, the copse
main paths, the Upper playing field, its play equipment areas and the
Childrens Shelter as needed. When walking both fields, looking out for
safety hazards.
Once a week undertaking the required ROSPA safety checks, completing
the report form and returning to Parish Clerk. (Training will be given for
this.)
Undertaking the specified weekly, monthly and annual maintenance
checks on the defibrillator cabinet.
Cleaning out Lime Road Bus Shelter once a week.
Other reasonable duties as requested by the Parish Council.
For further details, a job description and a list of full duties, please contact the
Parish Clerk on 01865 861992 or by e-mailing nhpcclerk@msn.com. The
closing date for application is Friday 16th June 2017.
NORTH HINKSEY PARISH COUNCIL IS SEEKING A
Part-Time Caretaker for Louie Memorial Pavilion, Arnold’s Way
The current post holder will be retiring on the appointment of a new part-time
caretaker and the Parish Council is now looking to appoint his replacement.
The new appointee will be an employee of the Parish Council and will be
subject to any deductions that the HM Revenue and Customs require to be
made. The gross salary for the post will be £245 a month. The average monthly
hours of work over the year are 24 and this is what you will receive payment
on per month. Because the number of hours will fluctuate between summer
and winter, your monthly payment is based on average hours. The pavilion is
run by a management committee and the caretaker’s work will involve liaising
and working with them.
The main duties of the post include:
Line marking of the football pitch (on average twice a month during the
football season).
Visiting the Pavilion three times a week to check the building and undertake
any minor maintenance work, safety checks etc.
Liaising with the Parish Clerk to arrange any statutory building checks e.g. fire
extinguishers, electrical certificates.
Maintaining the main hall, kitchen, changing rooms and showers.
Cleaning the MUGA and Children’s Shelter area to remove litter etc. and the
general maintenance of the Trim Trail equipment.
Strimming various areas.
Litter Picking in the ‘Lower’ playing field, children’s play area, the copse main
paths, the ‘Upper’ playing field, its play equipment areas and the
Children’s Shelter as needed. When walking both fields, looking out for
safety hazards.
Once a week undertaking the required ROSPA safety checks, completing the
report form and returning to Parish Clerk. (Training will be given for this.)
Undertaking the specified weekly, monthly and annual maintenance checks on
the defibrillator cabinet.
Cleaning out Lime Road Bus Shelter once a week.
Other reasonable duties as requested by the Parish Council.
For further details, a job description and a list of full duties, please contact the
Parish Clerk on 01865 861992 or by e-mailing nhpcclerk@msn.com. The
closing date for application is Friday 16th June 2017.
Guiding Round-up
Girlguiding in West Oxford District
This year has been a busy year
for West Oxford District Guides.
Last summer saw us combing
Oxford City Centre in our
innovative Hunt Oxford Owl
Trail. It really was a HOOT! The
Owl Hunt was supported across
the county by local artists and
local children. We would like to
say a massive thank you to
everyone who helped,
especially the talented artists
who decorated some beautiful
owls for us. HOOT, the auction
and the raffle enabled us to
raise over £1000 for our district.
The photo shows some of the
owls created for the occasion.
Last year also saw our magnificent first District Fete. With the help of all
11 units in our thriving district we managed to raise some much needed
funds to ensure no girl misses out on the exciting opportunities
Girlguiding has to offer. There was, as usual, a great turn out for the
Remembrance Day Service at Botley War Graves in November.
Our Christmas Disco was much enjoyed for the second year in a row,
providing some welcome down time for parents to complete their
Christmas preparations and allowing children to burn off some festive
excitement. Over 100 girls attended this winter party and thoroughly
enjoyed the dancing, the Christmas films and eating far too many sweets.
Our annual Thinking Day celebrations this February saw all units come
together to think about the other ten million Girl Guides around the globe.
Working together, the girls created a variety of crafts, built shelters,
planted seedlings and played a variety of games from different cultures.
The unity shown within this event always helps to bring home the breadth
and diversity of our World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts to
the younger generation.
This year we also
welcomed two
new units,
bringing the
number of young
girls in our district
up to over 200
members! We
hope that by
having both a new
Rainbow and
Brownie Guide
unit that these
girls will later
become the next
generation of
Girlguiding,
inspiring others for
years to come. Remembrance Day service in Botley Cemetery
We have celebrated many achievements already this year and are proud
to announce that two older Guides have completed their Baden Powell
Challenge and five members of Aspire Rangers have completed their
Chief Guide Challenge this term. Both awards require much hard work
and dedication to complete and very few girls achieve them. Although
many leaders have worked hard this year, one of our younger leaders,
Katherine Haigh, has recently completed her Queen’s Guide award the
highest award you can receive within Girlguiding. We send our
congratulations to all these young women and hope many more will follow
their example and take up the challenges.
As the year continues, we have more exciting adventures planned. Five
members of the district have been selected to take part in Girlguiding
Anglia International Service Projects abroad to Nepal and Fiji.
Fundraising continues for both these exciting opportunities and for our
district, so we hope you will support us by joining us at our Summer Fete,
being held at Louie Memorial Pavilion on Arnold’s Way on Saturday 17th
June. If you would like further information, or to hold a stall at our fete
please contact me on catriona_allen@hotmail.com.
Catriona Allen, District Organizer
1st Botley Brownies Visit Field House
On a sunny evening in April, First Botley Brownies walked to Field House
with Easter gifts as part of our
Promise to serve the Queen and
our community and to help other
people. I was proud of the pack
who had worked hard preparing
the gifts and really were on their
best behaviour.
Once there, the Brownies gave
the residents pansies in pots that they had decorated and Easter cards
that they had made. Everyone enjoyed talking about the ways the
uniforms had changed over time, badges and our Promise, since many
of the residents had been Brownies and Cubs when they were young. We
were also asked about the Remembrance Day service that we attend
every year.
A Brownie pack is made up of sixes, with Sixers who lead each six with
help from their Seconds. We start our meetings with 4 Brownies forming
a bridge and the pack walking through singing the traditional Brownie
Song. ‘Brownie Bellsis our goodbye song.
Thank you to all at Field House who welcomed us so warmly. Here’s how
Lisa and Megan described the visit: “To get there we walked from Dean
Court Community Centre to Field House in pairs. We walked into the
room in a Brownie line. Rona who is a Second, held our Brownie flag.
When we went in we made a Brownie ring led by Megan. After that we
gave the pansies and Easter cards to the people who live there. Lots of
the people were looking at the badges on our sashes. A little bit later they
offered us food and drinks that made people laugh and smile. After that
everyone was silenced because some Brownies were moving up to
Guides. Mementos of Brownie activities were given to Daisy, Daisy,
Eleanor, Connie, Rona, Isabelle and Isabelle. Amy and Lisa received
their hostess badges for organising an Easter party for us. Finally it was
time to leave. We walked from Field House back to Dean Court, eating
our sweets on the way.
We meet on Thursday evenings and could do with more adult helpers.
For more info go to https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/get-involved/
Penny Catt (Brown Owl)
2nd Botley Brownies Tackle
Disability Awareness
We have started working as a Unit on our
Disability Awareness badge. The first
clause (of seven) that we chose to do says,
“Make up, or change, a game or activity so
that everyone can take part in it, however
mobile they are”.
We decided to get the girls to play the game of
“Traffic Lights” in the usual way and then told each Six that
they would be joined by an imaginary Brownie with a specific disability
and that they should adapt the game so that everyone would still be able
to join in. Snowy Owl did not give out purely mobility problems she made
the girls do a bit more thinking by including a deaf girl or a visually
impaired girl. We found it was very easy to include a girl in a wheelchair
or with general mobility issues in fact we found that later in the evening
we had automatically amended our pow wow circle so that had a
wheelchair user been there she would have just blended in with us on our
chairs as we had decided to sit on seats instead of our usual choice of
sitting on the floor.
The inclusion of an imaginary deaf girl really got the girls thinking and
there were promises from the Brownies to go home and look up sign
language gestures so that we could play the game again and use them
in place of the verbal traffic light commands. This led us straight into
another clause where we need to know the finger-spelling
alphabet. Quite a lot of girls already knew this and we all had a go, so
this should not be too difficult to teach the rest of the unit. Thanks to Little
Owl we already have a donation of earplugs to use to take part in a game
or activity later on so that we will get a flavour of being partially deaf
another clause done.
Snowy Owl has organized a visit from someone who is visually-impaired
and has a Guide Dog so there is much to look forward to. We also
had a Mum kindly offer to help us find out about dementia so we shall
soon have earned the Disability Awareness badge and learnt a lot about
different ways the world can be perceived and how to approach people
accordingly.
Lucy Howes
Recipe for June
Sometimes cauliflowers these days are too big for one meal so there is
some left over. Surplus ones may also be found in the Community
Fridge. I found this recipe which we like and it keeps for weeks in the
fridge. It can be used to enliven bread and cheese meals.
Lemony Pickled Cauliflower
(adapted from the "Serious Eats" website)
(Makes 2 large jars)
Half a medium cauliflower (0.5
1kg ), broken into small florets
250ml cider vinegar
250ml water
2 tsps salt
1 small lemon, sliced
1 large garlic clove, sliced
(optional)
12 tsps fennel seeds (or 10 peppercorns)
In large pan combine water and salt and bring to boil.
Add cauliflower florets (add more boiling water if needed to just
cover) and bring back to boil.
Remove immediately from heat and drain (reserving liquid).
Place 2 slices of lemon, garlic (if using) and spices in large jar
then pack in the cauliflower.
Add the cider vinegar and top up with the reserved brine.
Top jar with 2 slices of
lemon and seal it.
Leave till cold and place in
fridge.
Keep for 24 hours before
eating it improves for up to 4
weeks, getting stronger in flavour!
Sally Hersom
Old Manor House Riding School to close
Eagled-eyed readers of the Oxford Times
and this months Sprout will have seen
that a planning application has been
lodged for 10 dwellings at 18 and 20A
North Hinksey Lane. This translates as
“converting the Old Manor House Riding
School into five houses and five flats”.
Generations of people have learned to
ride at the riding school, which has been
in operation since 1946, so if planning
permission is granted, this will have a big
impact Oxford-wide.
I talked to the owner of the riding school,
Garry Donnelly, and his partner Stewart Booth, about why this is
happening. We sat in their lovely courtyard, which opens onto their new
kitchen addition. “We have hated making this decision,” said Garry. “As
you can see from this kitchen, from the mirrors which we put onto the
riding ring only a year ago, and from the new stables, we weren’t
expecting this. We had been planning to stay here for at least another
five years.” However he then explained their reasoning.
The adjacent owners, with whom the riding school shares a drive, had
already been thinking of redeveloping their house into ten flats; and
directly across from the Old Manor House planning permission has been
given for six more. Both would significantly affect the riding stable’s
operations, in terms of traffic and parking. The adjacent development has
since been incorporated into the new planning application as the five flats.
This joint redevelopment had always been ‘Plan B if the riding school
became unviable.
However the preparatory works for the Oxford flood alleviation scheme
(OFAS) are being carried out much sooner, and will be much more
intrusive than they were expecting, making Plan B into Plan A. Extensive
archaeological digs near Willow Walk will probably start this year, and in
time the flood alleviation works would take about 30 acres of land grazed
by the riding school horses. The new scheme would not be safe for the
horses because they could get stuck in the soft ground or fall in the
channel, but fields cannot be fenced off because fencing could obstruct
the flow of material down the new stream during a flood.
The OFAS has suggested alternatives, but none would work well.
Grazing the horses further away would make getting them to the riding
school more difficult and dangerous. Hacking (riding through the fields)
would not be possible during the three-year construction period because
of the lorries in the fields, and would anyway not be as attractive as now.
The OFAS has offered to provide a horse trailer, minivan and drivers to
allow hackers to go to Boar’s Hill, but this is unlikely to be attractive to
people who just want to be able to get onto a horse and ride through the
fields. (Garry gave a lot more detail, but you get the gist.)
Another problem is that traffic on North Hinksey Lane has already grown
to a level where it is difficult to bring horses from the grazing fields to the
riding stable. The times of the school run and the evening rush hour are
already impossible, and at other times the traffic can still be dangerous.
Garry also explained that people are setting off more and more fireworks
in October, November and December. Two of his horses have already
died as a result: one had a heart attack after running around in circles,
and another broke a leg trying to get away.
Finally, six of the riding school’s 17 horses are getting very old, so Garry
would need to get six more horses to allow the riding school to continue.
He has no intention of getting rid of his old horses. The current grazing
lands would already be insufficient for six more horses, much less the
reduced grazing area post-flood alleviation scheme.
Garry has been running the riding school since 2011, when he took over
from Pat Halliday. He and Stewart took beautiful care of Pat as she
became frail, and are now keen to carry on her legacy. However a
business that started off with having the horses much closer by (some in
Hinksey Field which became unusable for horses when a scrape was put
in to increase its wildlife value), when there were fewer cars on the road,
and less development nearby, has slowly changed over the years, and
the flood alleviation channel is the final nail in the coffin.
Having been Pat’s neighbour for many years, I agree with Garry that Pat’s
real legacy is a love of horses, not a wish to maintain a business model
that no longer works. Garry and Stewart hope to move north with the
horses (‘hopefully to Scotland’ says Stewart in his gorgeous Scottish lilt),
and to find a house with adjacent land where the old horses can live out
the rest of their lives without the stresses of suburban Oxford.
Riki Therivel
What OFAS will mean for Botley & North Hinksey
The information below is based on the public consultation event at West
Oxford Community Centre, 11 May.
The Oxford Flood Alleviation scheme will run from north of the Botley
Road, through Hinksey Field, under Willow Walk, and from there
southward towards Redbridge. The aim of the scheme is to reduce
flooding in Oxford, including on the Botley Road. It will do so by moving
excess floodwater through a two-stage channel: a deeper narrower one
which will remain wet all year round; within a wide, gently-sloping one
which will hold water only during floods.
I suspect that Botley & North Hinksey residents will be most interested in
the plans for Willow Walk and Hinksey Field. The two culverts at Willow
Walk will be replaced by a bridge which, depending on whom you talked
to at the public consultation event, will accommodate only walkers and
cyclists, or also vehicles. The construction works for this will be quite
large scale and will involve closing Willow Walk for a while (a lot of the
details of timing are TBA).
Hinksey Field between North
Hinksey Lane and the retail parks on
the Botley Road is an ecologically
rare ‘MG4 grassland’ because of
how it has been grazed for
centuries. The flood alleviation
scheme has been made as narrow
as possible here to minimize the
ecological impact, but will still affect
about a quarter of the field. The
large poplars at the north-west side
of the field will be kept, but the
willows on the field side of Seacourt
Stream will be cut down (those on
the North Hinksey Lane side will be
kept). In the field to the south of
Willow Walk, the width of the
scheme will again be narrow to
protect the nationally rare, and really
unimpressive-looking, creeping
marshwort which grows there.
A road will be built adjacent the flood alleviation works (but not in Hinksey
Field), where it will be within the area of the flood alleviation works.
Although that is more difficult to do, again this aims to minimize the
scheme’s footprint on this sensitive area.
Works on the overall scheme are expected to start in late 2018 and to
finish in 2021. The major works will start in the south and head north, but
some engineering works in the Botley area will start in 2018/19. Public
access to Hinksey Field will be maintained, but different access points
may be shut for some or all of the works. If you are one of the many
people who use the field, you may want to explain, at consultation, how
often you use it, and stress the importance of keeping access points
open.
The public consultation will run from 22 June to 20 July. Make your voice
heard at www.gov.uk/government/consultations/oxford-flood-alleviation-
scheme-design-consultation.
Riki Therivel
LOCAL PLANNING APPLICATIONS
P17/V1039/PDH
67 Montagu Road. Single Storey Rear
Extension: Depth 6.0m Height 3.621m
Height to eaves 2.242.
18 April target
decision date:
30 May
P17/V1046/FUL
Old Manor Stables 20A North Hinksey Lane.. Conversion &
alterations to existing barn to form staff annexe. Access
through existing wall, parking area and ancillary works.
19 April
TDD: 14 June
P17/V1047/FUL
18 and 20A North Hinksey Lane.
Demolish existing buildings and erect 10
dwellings.
19 April
TDD: 19 July
P17/V1074/LDP
38 Lime Road. Loft conversion with
rendered gable end.
21 April
TDD: 21 June
P17/V1010/HH
32 Arthray Road. Extend existing house,
new access to parking at rear.
24 April
TDD: 19 June
P17/V1048/HH
Tredinnock Harcourt Hill. First floor side
extension to main house & convert
summerhouse to annexe.
24 April
TDD: 19 June
P17/V1231/HH
89 Southern Bypass. Rear extension.
Comments by 1
st
June
4 May
TDD: 29 June
P17/V0601/LDP
14 Sweetmans Road. Loft conversion to
new bedroom and ensuite.
5 May
TDD: 30 June
Police update
Anti-social behaviour (ASB) We have received a report of small gas
canisters believed to be used as a laughing gas found in the Cumnor
area. We are aware there was a party in the village and suspect it is linked
with this. Further enquires to be completed, but we believe this was a one
off incident. If you have any information please contact us using the
details at the bottom of the page.
Offenders brought to justice: There has been a series of moped thefts in
the Botley area. We believe we know who is responsible and are in the
process of identifying the suspects. The investigation is ongoing.
We had reports of scrap metal collectors taking items without consent.
Police units located two males who had been collecting scrap and on
further investigation these males were collecting scrap lawfully. However,
we ask members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious
incidents, vehicles or people.
Botley shopliftings Unfortunately we have had reports of shoplifting at
Botley shops. We will be carrying out high visibility patrols in the area
specifically through Elms Parade and The Square, Botley and working
with the shops closely on preventative measures.
Future events/meetings PCSO Harry Cornforth will be at Cumnor Hill
House Care Home on the 6th and 29th of June 10am - midday. If you
have any concerns or issues you would like to share with us this is a great
opportunity to do so.
Contact us If you want any advice or would like to contact the
neighbourhood team you can call us on the police non-emergency
number 101 or if it is an emergency then dial 999. You can also contact
us via email AbingdonOuterNHPT@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk. Please
note this email address cannot be used to contact Thames Valley Police
to report crimes or for any urgent matters. To view information on your
neighbourhood team visit the Thames Valley Police website at:
www.thamesvalley.police.uk. Receive free local crime alerts and crime
prevention advice by registering at www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk today.
This allows anyone who signs up to choose what updates they receive
and how they would like to receive it. The Thames Valley Police Twitter
account @TVPSouthandVale is kept up to date with what we are up to; if
you would like to follow us.
PCSOs Harry Cornforth, Jamie Moya-Flood and Adrian Wright
News from the plots
The year started with the Annual Public
Meeting and an inspiring talk by Ann Dawson
(plot 49) about growing flowers on your
allotment. She is planning to open her plot to
the public for a couple of hours on 13th
August, as part of the National Gardens
Scheme, so we’ll be able to see for ourselves
what skill and dedication can do.
During the previous year the number of
available plots and the number of people wanting to rent was quite finely
balanced. The PC is aware that if the waiting list rises to six or more, we
will have to return the community orchard, wildflower meadow or
memorial garden back to allotment use again. They have therefore asked
the Allotment Committee to consider our options and if necessary to
revise the rule book to ensure that this does not happen. There was an
energetic discussion at the public meeting, which noted that the 50%
cultivation requirement was being seen as a target rather than as the
minimum acceptable. 60% or even 75% was recommended, and rigorous
enforcement so that those who did not play by the rules would be required
to hand over their plots to people who really wanted to cultivate them.
Another possibility would be to permit a second plot to those who were
clearly doing a good job of their first one, but only on a two-year lease, so
that they could be taken back if the need arises. Other ideas included
bringing some of the smaller, less rewarding plots back into cultivation by
enriching the soil with manure ourselves, and giving people whose plots
are too much for them the chance to share them. As it happens, some
eight plots have since become vacant, and four new tenants have come
forward, so the problem has receded for the moment. Nevertheless, the
committee will meet to discuss these issues on 22nd June, with a view to
putting some proposals for rule changes to the Council in September.
The first quarter saw a flurry of activity: a skip was provided and a working
party formed to disinter the ancient carpets and other rubbish from the
plots. Chris Sugden took three trailer-loads of junk to Redbridge for us as
well, and everyone celebrated our useful work with a picnic. Hand-holes
have been cut by both the gates to the Southern By Pass plots to make
the padlocks more accessible; the water tanks have been moved and
filled. Our rules require tenants to look after the paths around the plots,
but not everyone has the tools. A well-wisher has donated two good
strimmers which people are welcome to borrow (at their own risk!). An
inspection was carried out on 25th April, which showed that the plots were
looking pretty good on the whole, although there were some concerns
about trees, which are not supposed to be more than 10 foot high, or
planted without express permission of the committee. The next inspection
will be on Saturday 8th July, and then on Sunday 6th October.
Ag MacKeith, Chair of the Allotment Committee
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Randoms
Community fridge update
The fridge at St P&P Church, West Way is going well. It has been getting
surplus food from Tesco, and should start getting food from the Coop
soon… and thank you to everyone who has been dropping off food as
well. Lots of people have been taking food, and the bulk of it has been
going to people who can really use it: rough sleepers, on benefits etc.
If you are going on holiday, or your garden is producing a glut, or you
have stuff in your cupboards that you’re not going to use, please consider
bringing your surplus food to the fridge. And do take stuff from it, since its
main purpose is to reduce food waste. We could use another 12
volunteers to check the fridge and bring food from the shops to it. Contact
riki@phonecoop.coop
Riki Therivel
Botley W.I.
Julia Mile spoke to us in May about her extraordinary life as a diplomatic
wife in a talk called "Ragbags and Cocktails." Our speaker in June will be
Chris Caddy, on the subject of "Trees". On 14 June the walking group will
meet at Elms Parade to walk round Cumnor Hurst and the Chiswell valley
and our Craft evening will be on 20 June, when members choose their
own topic.
Alison Jenner
Coming up at the Tap
Tap Social is a newcomer to Botley. A craft brewery, community space,
and social enterprise in Curtis’s Yard, it provides training and employment
programmes to people in prison to aid effective rehabilitation and help
them secure permanent work. Recent growth has brought more attention,
and now some members of the Oxford City Amnesty group have
suggested hosting our first ever pub quiz. On Friday 23 June, 8pm,
volunteers from Amnesty will run us through 6 rounds of questions from
trivia to music to current events. The £1 per team member will help
support Amnesty International’s human rights campaigns worldwide.
Please join us! To find out which bands have been signed up for the
coming weeks, see our website: (http://www.tapsocialmovement.com).
We are also on Twitter (https://twitter.com/tapsocialbrew), Instagram
@tapsocialmovement, and Facebook as Tap Social Movement.
General Election
Hustings in Botley on Thursday 1st June 67.30 pm at Ss Peter and Paul
Church. Come and hear what your would-be MPs have to say about
issues that concern you. This will be a Question-Time style Q&A session
chaired by Rev Graham Sykes. Submit questions in advance via the
forms downloadable from Botleyhinksey.org.uk. or available from Botley
Library. Our chance to get straight answers to some difficult questions
West Way redevelopment
Since last month’s Sprout article where we outlined Mace’s proposed new
timeline, there has been no real news on the West Way redevelopment
except a possible mid-June date for a public exhibition. Look out for more
details from Mace. Meanwhile we have not seen the change of use
application come in for the temporary housing of facilities in the Grant
Thornton and Elms Court buildings so the timeline may move on again.
Lorna Berrett
Traffic
The hazards of too many cars on roads not designed for them has not
gone away. The Sprout would welcome an update from our various local
campaigns, but here, to be going on with, is a photo showing the
dangerous way cars park on the pavement at the West Way end of North
Hinksey Lane. The woman manhandling her twins in their double buggy
over the cobbles that mark the North
Lodge boundary, is Sophie Tyler, on
her way back home from North
Hinksey school with her 9-week old
baby strapped on in a sling. She says
she feels she is taking four people’s
lives in her hands as she negotiates
that dangerous junction. It’s easy to
see why cars park on the pavement
the carriageway is too narrow to
accommodate parked cars in the
road. The local residents have asked
the County Council to remove the
right to park there, and to replace the
dotted line with a STOP sign as cars
sweep across the junction, but so far
to no avail. We will keep trying!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don’t forget! SPROUT AGM 2017
Sunday 25th June
34pm
The Pavilion, Louie Memorial Fields, Arnold’s Way
Everybody welcome, especially Sprout volunteers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1st Botley Brownies
Girls aged 7–10
Dean Court Community Centre Thur 6–7.30 Fiona
Wheeler, firstbotleybrownies@gmail.com
2nd Botley Brownies
Girls aged 7–10
Rosary Room, Yarnells Hill. Tues 6 -7.30 : Alison
Griffin 01865 379247
4th Oxford Scout Group
Beavers, Cub Scouts, Scouts
Scout Hall, Arnolds Way; mail@thefourth.org.uk
Website: http://www.thefourth.org.uk/
15th Oxford Scout Group
Boys and girls welcome
Meet Fridays, Botley Baptist Hall Contact: Julie Tatham
01865 863074 or Amy Cusden 07887 654386
Badminton Club
Thurs 7-8pm at Matthew Arnold Sports Hall. Garry Clark
0777 3559 314 garryclark13@gmail.com
Books on Wheels R.V.S.
Free Library Service for housebound Ox. 248142
Botley Baby & Toddler
Group
Tuesdays and Thursdays 9.15–11am, SS Peter & Paul
Church Hall
Botley Boys & Girls F.C.
Football teams from ages 8-16
Jason Barley Ox. 242926 jbarley1@ sky.com or
Brendan Byrne Ox.792531 bb@bridewellconsulting.com
Botley Health Walks
Wednesday 9.30 a.m Contact: Briony 246497
Botley Library
01865 248142. Open till 7 on Friday and 1pm on Sat,
otherwise 9.30 to 5.30 (closed Wednesdays).
Botley Singers
Thur 7.30, St Andrew’s Church, Dean Court. Angela
Astley-Penny Ox.242189 angastpen@aol.com
Chair-based Exercise Class
Tuesdays 10.30 – 11.30 a.m. Seacourt Hall
Contact Lizzie, Oxon Age UK, 07785 425601
Community Fridge
For all. Put food in, take food out. Ss P&P church, Mon
Sat 9–5, Sun 11–5. Riki Therivel 07759 135811
Cumnor Choral Society
Friday 7.30 to 9.30 pm Contact: 01235 533726 or
07552 786127 or www.cumnorchoral.co.uk
Cumnor Chess Club
Thurs 7–9pm Cumnor Old School. Steven Bennett
862788 www.cumnorchessclub.co.uk
Cumnor & District Historical
Society
Last Monday of the month 7.30-9.00 Cumnor Old
School. 01865 724808
Cumnor Gardening Club
Details on website at http://cumnorgardens.org.uk/ or
phone Chirs Impey, 01865 721026
Fit Steps – exercise based
on dance
Friday 6–7pm, Seacourt Hall. Email Rosalie on
rosalie.crane@btinternet.com
Harmony InSpires, Ladies'
Acappella Singing Group
Wed 7.30 at Appleton village hall. C. Casson 01235
831352 or harmonyinspires@hotmail.co.uk
Hill End Volunteer Team
Contact: David Millin on hill.end@oxfordshire.gov.uk,
call 01865-863510 or visit www.hillend-oec.co.uk
Let’s Sing! – singing group
Weds 2pm, WOCC, details Emily 07969 522368
or email emformusic@outlook.com
Morris Dancing – Cry Havoc
Barbara Brett 249599 or bag@cryhavoc.org.uk
Mum and Baby Yoga for
babies from 6 wks to crawling
Mondays 10.30 at Dean Court CC, contact Jacqueline
Rice via https://yogawithjacqueline.co.uk
N Hinksey after school club
Mon–Thurs 3–6pm Contact: Oxford 794287
N Hinksey Art Group
Weds 10 – 12.00 W.I. Hall Tel: Christina 07931 707997
N Hinksey Bellringers
Contact: Ray Rook 01865 241451
N Hinksey Conservation
Volunteers
Meets at weekends. Contact Voirrey Carr
07798743121 voirreyc@aol.com
N Hinksey, Friends of
Annual Cricket Match & Walk. Douglas Bond 791213.
N Hinksey Horticultural
Society
Contact: Ann Dykes 01865 251821
anndykes@hotmail.com
N Hinksey Parish Council
Alan Stone 01865 861992 nhpcclerk@msn.com
N Hinksey Youth Club
Wednesdays at Arnold's Way pavilion, call Daz on
07791 212866 or see Facebook
Over Sixties Lunch Club
Every other Thursday. Seacourt Hall. Marina Bennett
01865 242312
Oxford Flood Alliance
R Thurston 01865 723663 or 07973 292035
Oxford Flower Arranging Club
4th Thursday Cumnor. Dympna Walker: 01865 865259
Oxford Otters
Swimming for people with disabilities. Sundays, twice
monthly. Contact: Alan Cusden 723420
Oxford Rugby Club
Boys and girls from 5, kevin.honner@ntlworld.com
Seniors, training etc jamesy1976@hotmail.co.uk
Oxford Sports Lawn Tennis
Club, N Hinksey
Family club: Melanie Riste 848658 or
melanie_riste@hotmail.com
Parkinson’s Disease Soc
Contacts: Julie and John Tailor 01865 763394.
Raleigh Park, Friends of
David Brown raleighpark@raleighpark.org.uk
Royal Voluntary Service
(West Way Day Centre)
Mon & Fri 10–3pm, Field House, 07740 611971.
oxfordshirehub@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
Saturdads
Elms Rd Children's Centre
Fun activities and trips for Dads and under 5’s
10 am–noon 1st Sat of month. Tel: 243955
Shotokan Karate club
6+ WOCC twice weekly Martyn King 07836 646450
Weight Watchers
Thursdays 6pm at SS Peter & Paul Church Hall Banso
tel: 07779 253899 bansob@aol.com
West Oxford Bowls Club
Contact: Marion Bostock 436277
West Oxford Taekwon Do
Club
Mon, Thurs 6.30-8pm, MA gym, contact Chris Hall
07815 899698 www.wotkd.co.uk
West Oxford U3A
(Uni of the 3rd Age) Elizabeth Stevens, 739252
Which Craft?
Pavilion, Arnold’s way, third Monday, contact
whichcraft.botley@yahoo.co.uk
Womens Institute (Botley)
Monthly, 1st Tuesday: Liz Manson, tel. 244175 or email
liz.manson@virginmedia.com